Vending apparatus.



G. n. STOOPS, VENDING APPARATUS.

APPLICATION FILED MAR. 26, 1907.

Patented May 4, 1909.

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G. D. STOOPS.

VENDING APPARATUS.

APPLICATION FILED MAR. 26, 1907.

Patented May 4, 1909.

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G. D. STOOPS. VENDING APPARATUS. APPLIOATIOH FILED MAR. 26, 1907.

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G. D. STOOPS. VENDING APPARATUS. APPLICATION FILED MAR. 26, 1907.

Patented May 4, 1909.

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GEORGE D. STOOPS, OF EASTON, MARYLAND.

VENDING APPARATUS Application filed March 26, 1907.

To all l /710m "it may concern:

Be it known that l, D. S'roors, a citizen of the United States, residing at Fasten, in the county of Talbot and State f ldaryland, have invented new and useful ln'iprovements in Vending Apparatus, of which the following is a specification.

The invention relates to an improvement in vending apparatus, comprehending more particularly a coin controlled vender con structed and arranged for the delivery of newspapers, sheet music, magazines, and similar articles.

The main object of the present invention is the construction of a vending apparatus in which the several parts are arranged for manual adjustment and control to accommodate the machine for the vending at difierent times of articles var ing in size and secured by the use of coins of different values, whereby the machine is adapted for the delivery in newspaper vending of papers varying'in size, as daily and Sunday editions, the adjustment of the machine requiring the use of coins of different values to secure these respective editions.

Another object of the invention is the production of automatica ly actuated mechanism whereby the machine when exhausted of its vendible articles is locked against further operation and the insertion of additional coins prevented.

The preferred embodiment of details of the present invention will be clearly described in the following specification, reference being had particularly to the accompanying drawings, in which:

Figure 1 is a perspective view of a vending machine constructed in accordance with my invention, Fig. 2 is a vertical sectional view taken at one side of the housing for the coin controlled mechanism, Fig. 3 is an enlarged vertical central sectional view of the lower portion of the apparatus, a coin being illustrated in place with the parts otherwise in normal position, Fig. 1 is a similar view with the parts in the positions assumed upon the initial operation after introduction of the coin, Fig. 5 is a similar view with the parts locked in inoperative position, this being the position of the parts when the vendible articles are exhausted, Fig. 6 is a section on line 66 of Fig. 2, Fig. 7 is a section online 7-7 of Fig. 2, Fig. 8 is a perspective view of the locking plate, Fig. 9 is a perspective view of one of Specification of Letters Patent.

Patented May 4, 1909.

Serial No. 364,664.

the coin actuated operating levers, Fig. 10

is a perspective view of one of the coin chutes.

Referring particularly to the drawings, the improved vending apparatus comprises a case 1 including a base 2, side walls 8, rear wall 41, and top 5. The space between the forward edgesof the side walls is normally closed by a door 6, arranged for hinged connection with one side wall and for locking connection with the other, said door serving to permit the introduction of the articles to be vended. The door is of less height than the height of the case, and immediately below the same the side walls 3 are widened to receive and support an inclined cover section 7, having at its forward end a depend ing guard section 8.

Below the guard section the forward edges of the side Walls, which latter are at this point somewhat reduced in width, are connected by a hinged section 9 forming a continuation of a transverse connecting strip 10 secured to the side edges in rear of and terminating at its upper edge above the lower 6C ge of the guard plate 8.

At the upper edge of the section 10 is aranged a rearwardly extending platform 11, which terminates in advance of the rear wall of the case, and in the rear portion is centrally cut away to provide spaced platform sections 12 on which the articles to be vended are normally supported.

Slightly in rear of the relatively rear edges of the platform sections 12, the case is longitudinally divided by vertically extending transversely alined partitions 13, which partitic-ns extend in spaced parallel relation to the rear wall of the case, for a purpose which will presently appear. The relatively lower edge of each partition 18 is cut away for a portion of its width, said cutaway portions opening through the proximate edges of the partitions, and thereby forming a guideway, for a purpose which will presently appear.

In alinement with the relatively upper surface of the platform 11 the side walls 3 of the case are formed with channels 15 in which is slidably mounted an ejector 16 in the form of a plate having its forward edge slightly reduced in thickness, as shown in the drawing. Immediately in advance of the forward ends of the channels 15, the side walls 3 are formed with vertically extending grooves 17, in which is slidably arranged a controlling plate 18, the upper edge of which is connected through the medium of screw rods 19 with a transversely disposed bar 20 in which said rods are threaded, the ends of the rods beyond the bar being provided with thumb nuts 21 whereby said bars, and thereby the controlling plate 18 may be vertically adjusted with relation to the platform 11.

That portion of the case in advance of the partitions 1 3 and above the platform 11 is designed for the reception of the articles to be vended, while that portion of the case included below the partition 11 designed for the reception of the coin controlled opa'ating mechanism.

The coin controlled operating mechanism of the present invention is arranged in a housing 22 including side walls 23, end walls 24, and a top wall 25, the latter some distance in rear of its forward edge curving upwardly at 26 and being projected rear- 'ardly at- 27 on a plane above the forward portion.

An operating shaft 28 is mounted within the housing in rear of the curved portion 26 of the upper wall, said shaft being preferably mounted in the side walls of the housing and being centrally provided with an upwardly extending arm 29, which projects through an opening 30 formed in the upper wall of the housing and is connected at its upper end to a transversely arranged bar 31 terminally connected to links 82, the latter being in turn connected to spaced bifurcated cars 33 depending from the lower surface of the ejector 1G. The shaft 28 is further provided with normally depending arms St. the free lower ends of which are formed on their forward faces with hearing disks Slide bars 36 are arranged in vertical alinement with the respective arms 34. said bars being guided at their rear ends in openings formed in the rear all of the housing, and at their forward ends by connected bars or rods 37 extending through the for ard wall of the housing with their free ends co1mected"beyond the housing by a transversely arranged bar 38. A push button or other handle member is arranged centrally of the bar 38 to provide for convenient manual operation of the coin controlled i'nechanism. as will presently appear.

On each of the slide bars 36 there is mounted what I term an operating lever. which levers, except in the size of a particular part, are identi 'al in construction. The operating lever which is clearly shown in Fig. 9 comprises a body portion d0 includ ing spaced plates adapted to rest on each side of one of the slide bars and pivotally connected thereto near the forward end by a transversely arranged pivot pin ll. The relatively forward end of the body 40 is formed with a coin receiving head including spaced upwardly projecting ears 42 provided on their relatively inner or proximate surfaces with downwardly and rearwardly inclined supporting lips $3, the ears 5 2 being further provided slightly above the lower or inner end of each lip with a coin limiting pin +24. The rear end of the body 4:0 is formed with an upwardly projecting flange 45, the rear end of which is bent laterally or at right angles to the plane of the body to provide a head 4:6, for a purpose which will presently appear. in al inenien t with the head 4-6 the body is also formed with a depending member l7 designed in the applied position of the levers to project below the lower edge of the slide, and terminally connected through the medium of a coil spring 48 with the forward wall of the casing, the spring being tensioned to normally hold the body of the lever in close contact with the upper edge of the slide and, therefore, with the head (-16 in depressed or normal position. The respective operating levers are as previously stated duplicates in construction, except that one of said levers is designed for the reception of a particular coin, as one cent, and the other of said members is designed for the reception of another coin, as a five cent piece. for which purposes the respective levers differ in having the space between the ears of one lever arranged to just receive the one coin, while the space between the ears of the other lever is arranged to just recei e the other coin.

The forward wall 24 of the housing is formed with coin slots l9 and 50, each of said slots being in alinement with one of the slide bars and being of different sizes to accommodate the different coins noted, it being understood that the operating lever designed for coiiperati on with one coin is mounted on the slide bar alined with the slot designed for that coin.

lVithin the housing in longitudinal aline ment with each com slot is arranged a coin chute 51, said chutes being duplicates except in the necessary variation in size to acconunodate the particular coin they are de signed to receive.

The coin chute, which is particularly illustrated in Fig. 10 comprises a rectangular body 52. the side. walls 53 of which are ex- .ended forwardly in advance of the forward wall. The upper edges of the side walls are bent laterally to provide flanges t, whereby the chute may be secured to the relatively upper wall 25 of the housing while the lower edges of the extended portion of the side walls incline forwardly and upwardly, as at 553. and are projected inwardly or toward each other to provide guide flanges On the inner or proximate surfaces of the extended portions of the side walls are se cured guide blocks 57, the lower edges of which are arranged in parallel spaced relation with the flanges 56. From the rear terminal of the guide flanges 56 the lower edges of the extended portions of the side walls are projected in parallel relation to the upper edges of said wall, and at the uncture of said extensions with the forward wall of the body, the proximate surfaces of said extension are provided with guide lips 58 extending forwardly and upwardly in parallel relation to the flanges 56, these lips being alincd with and forming in effect continuations of the lower surfaces of the guide blocks As will be most clearly seen in Fig. 3 the coin chutes are arranged so that the rel atively upper surfaces of the guide flanges 36 register with the lower edges of the coin slots. and the operating levers are so disposed that in normal position the lips 43 form a continuation of said guide flanges, the upper edges of the lips 42 of the levers resting against the plane or straight portion of the side wall. extensions of the coin chutes. Immediately in rear of the forward wall of the body 52, the lower wall of said body is formed with a depending pin 59, for a purpose whica will presently appear.

The arm 29 is operated in the rearward direction through the medium of a coil spring 60 secured to said arm and to the rear wall t of the case, said spring being tensioned so as to normally maintain the ejector 16 in the extreme rearward position. he operating levers are of such size and so arranged that in this position of the ejector the disk heads 35 of the arms 34 are above the normal operating plane of the heads l6 of the levers, so that in the rearward movement of the slides there is no engagement between said levers and arms 34L.

As the machine shown and described is provided with two independent coin con trolled operating mechanisms, adapted for actuation by coins of different values, it is obvious that means must be provided for locking out either of said mechanisms at will. For this purpose I arrange in the upper portion of each coin chute a locking slide (31, mounted for movement between the side 'alls 53 of the coin chute and formed at its forward end with a depending lip 62 designed when the slide is in the forward or operative position to close the particular coin slot against the introduction of a coin. The slide is movable in the rearward positionthrough the medium of a coil spring 63 connected to the slide and to the rear wall i-t of the housing, the slide being limited in rearward movement by a depending projection 6 t carriedv by the slide and engaging the rear wall of the coin chute body 52, as clearly shown in Fig. 3. The rear end of each slide (it is formed with an upwardly projecting flange 65, designed to be engaged by an L-shaped finger 66 secured on the alined arm 29, whereby as said armis operated to actuate the ejector, the slides 61 will be moved forward to close the coin slots. Each slide (31 is further connected to a tie member 67 projecting through the side wall 23 of the housing and'terminally provided. with a hook end 68 designed to engage an eye (39 secured on the side wall of the housing whereby to permit the manual locking of the slide in slot closing position.

The papers or other articles to be vcnded are arranged in double folded condition upon the branched platform sections 12 within the case, the controlling plate 18 being adjusted to space its lower edge a distance from the platform 11 as to permit tie passage tl erethrough of the lowermost paper only, and after the insertion of the papers in superimposed relation a pressure plate 70 is arranged upon the uppermost paper, said plate being of sufficient Weight to maintain the papers in order but not sutiicient to interfere with their free delivery. The plate 70 is preferably formed of approximately rectangular outline having a T-shaped centrally arranged projection 71, the cross bars of which are adapted to tit in rear of the partitions 13, whereby said plate is guided in movement. The plate is also provided with a depending locking pin 72, for a purpose which will presently appear.

Assuming that the papers to be vended are of the daily edition, salable at one cent, the locking slide 61 closing the coin slot for the five cent piece is manually locked in closing or operative position by the tie member 67. The coin, one cent, is then introduced into the open slot finding its way down the coin chute and onto the lips t?) of the operating lever, finally resting against the pins 4-1. The push handle 39 is now actuated with the effect to cause the upper surface of the coin to engage the pin 59 of the coin chute. This contact upon a further movement of the push rod causes a downward tilting of the forward end of the operating lever, said levers being preferably connected by a cross bar 7;. The downward movement of the forward end of said levers elevates the heads 46 thereof. with the effect to project said heads into the plane of the disk heads of the arms 34L, so that on a further rearward movement of the slide bars the shaft 28 is rocked and the ejector 16 moved forward to force the lowermost paper between the platform 11 and the lower edge of the controlling plate 18, the movement of the paper continuing until it has been forced in advance of the strip 10, in which position the customer may, through the medium of a finger slot. 74 formed in the guard plate 8 and. cover section 7 grasp the paper and withdraw the same from beneath the guard plate.

The housing for the coin controlled operating mechanism is preferably seated on the bottom of the case with the forward wall thereof projecting through an opening formed in the hinge section 9, whereby said housing is rendered accessible for repair or renewal of parts.

In the operation of the machine, and immediately subsequent to the delivery of the final article, the locking pin 72 on said plate will engage in rear of the ejector in the forard or operative position of the latter, thereby locking said ejector in the operative position, and through the connected mechanism holding the slide bars at their inward limit of movement and closing the coin slots by the locking slides 61. The parts are thus locked in inoperative position, and the further introduction of any coins prevented.

As the coin for operating the device engages the pin 59 of the particular coin chute, it is obvious that said pin will, through the frictional engagement of the coin to depress the operating lever, hold said coin in fixed relation tothe chute, so that as the lever moves forward the coin will be gradually withdrawn from between the lips 42 and allowed to drop into the bottom of the housing 23, the base or supporting board for the housing being preferably recessed at 75 for the reception of the coins.

In using the device with papers of different thicknesses, the controlling plate 18 will be adjusted to permit the passage of the particular paper, and in the event of an extremely thick paper, as in Sunday or special editions, the ejector 16 will be'increased in thickness by the addition of a thickening plate 7 6, shown in dotted lines in Fig. 2, which plate is preferably provided with depending pins to engage openings '77 formed in the ejector. The width of the thickening plate corresponds to the width of the cut out portion or recesses 1st of the partitions 13, so that said plate in operation will work through the recess thus provided.

The machine described provides a simple device for vending articles of the character noted, it being understood that the coin controlled apparatus may be adapted for the use of one or any number of different coins, and all of the coin slots being locked out except the one for the coin corresponding with the particular article in the machine.

The lock out forms an important part of the present invention, as thereby the operator in withdrawing the last article from the machine will automatically lock the same against further operation or the introduction of other coins until the machine has been again supplied.

lVhile preferring the details of structure shown and described, it is obvious that many changes and variations may be made therein invention all such changes and variations in the structure described as may fall within the scope of the appended claims.

Having thus described the invention what is claimed as new, is

1. A vending machine comprising a casing to receive the articles to be vended, an ejector for the articles, duplicate coin controlled mechanisms to be operated by either one of two coins, means for automatically closing the coin receiving slot in the operation of the machine, and means for manually locking either slot closing device in operative position.

2. A vending machine including an article actuating mechanism, an operating lever normally free of engagement with said. mechanism, and means actuated through the position of a coin to move said lever into engaging relation with the article actuating mechanism, said lever being arranged to am tomatically release the actuating mechanism at a. predetermined point in the movement of the lever, and means for returning said article actuating mechanism to normal position independent of the movement of I the lever.

A vending machine including an article actuating mechanism, a coin actuated mechanism adapted to engage and operate the article actuating mechanism in one direction, and means automatically actuated directly by the article actuating mechanism to prevent insertion of a coin.

l. The combination With an article actuating mechanism, of a coin controlled apparatus adapted to positively operate said mechanism in one direction, and a slide directly engaged by and operated in the move ment of the mechanism to prevent the introduction of a coin.

The combination with article actuating mechanism, of a coin controlled device adapted for the reception of different coins, means for actuating said article mechanism upon the insertion of either of the predetermined coins, locking means for closing the coin controlled device against the inser' tion of either coin during operation, and means for manually holding said locking means in operative position, whereby thedevice may be arranged for operation of but one of the predetermined coins.

G. The combination. with an article actu ating mechanism and. coin controlled operating means therefor, said means operating the actuating mechanism positively in one direction and releasing the same to permit its automatic return independent of said means, of means controlled by the article supply for engaging the actuating mechanism immediately succeeding its release by the coin controlled operating means and holding said mechanism in position to lock the coin controlled means against operation.

'7. The ctnnbination with an article actuating mechanism and coin controlled operating means therefor, said means operating the actuating mechanism positively in one direction and releasing the same to permit its automatic return independent of said means, of means controlled by the article supply for engaging the actuating mechanism immediately succeeding its release from the coin controlled means to lock the coin controlled means against operation, and means adapted in the operation of the actuating mechanism to close the coin controlled means against the introduction of a coin.

h. The combination with an article actuating mechaiiism and coin controlled operating means therefor. said means operat ing the actuating mechanism positively in one direction and releasing the same to permit its ant-fanatic return independentof said means, of a pressure plate designed to be supported by the article, and means carried by said pressure plate for locking the article actuating means in operative position immediately succeeding its release from the coin controlled means.

9. The combination with an article actu ating mechanism and coin controlled operating means therefor, said means operating the actuating mechanism positively in one direction and releasing the same to permit its automatic return independent of said means, of a pressure plate designed to be supported by the article, and means carried by said pressure plate for locking the article actuating means in operative position immediately succeeding its release from the coin controlled means, the locking of the actuating means serving to lock the coin controlled. means in operative position.

10. The combination with an article actuating mechanism and coin controlled operating means therefor, said means operating the actuating mechanism positively in one direction and releasing the same to per mit its automatic return independent of said means, of a pressure plate designed to be supported by the article, and a pin carried by said pressure plate for looking the article actuating means in operative position immediately succeeding its release from the coin controlled operating means.

11. The combination with an article ejector and coin controlled operating means therefor, said means operating the ejector positively in one direction and releasing the same to permit its return independent of said means, of a pressure plate designed to be supported by the article, and a pin carried by said pressure plate for engaging and maintaining the ejector in operative position immediately succeeding its release from the coin controlled operating means.

12. The combination with an article ejector and coin controlled operating means therefor, said means operating the ejector positively in one direction and releasing the same to permit its return independent of said means, of a pressure plate designed to be supported by the article, and a pin depending from the pressure plate for engaging the rear edge of the ejector and main taining the same in operative position im mediately succeeding its release from the coin controlled operating means.

In testimony whereof, I atlix my signature in presence of two witnesses.

GEORGE D. STOOPS. lVitnesses E. E. Bnrr'rm GI-IAM, O. B.BRIT'.PINGHA1\L 

